Herzek is the new Vice President of Academic Affairs at College of the Desert. He fills the position left open by the resignation of former VP of Instruction Gari Browning, who left to become President of Ohlone College. [see photo in "Attachments" below]

 “The amount of enthusiasm and passion I have experienced here is equally matched to all of the opportunities COD presents to our community.” He’s gotten a warm reception and two things stand out in his mind: “Everyone I have met at COD has been wonderful, and the support of community members and local government is just outstanding.”

Herzek is one of three vice presidents at COD. He served the great Long Beach community for 28 years as a faculty member and an academic administrator. To take the job at COD, he left his old post as instruction Dean at Long Beach City College, where he spent 11 years, part of that time as Provost of LBCC’s Pacific Coast Campus. Herzek has played an active role in national education policy and just completed a term as Chair of the National Legislative Committee for the Association for Career and Technical Education. He was selected Community College Administrator of the Year in 2001 by the California Industrial Technology Association.

He and his wife, Cheryl, have owned a second home in Palm Desert for 27 years, which is the same number of years they’ve been married. They enjoy traveling abroad, “most of the time off the beaten path,” he said. He began his new job on April 27.